Accubonds at 3700 fps

[kraky]

KIRBY---- What can you tell me about your testing of the accubonds. (mentioned above). I'm really trying to believe in the accubond as a good big game (elk, carribou, possibly moose)bullet. I load for a few friends that are doing some hunts this fall and don't want to let them down.
Because of the things I heard on the other chatroom (all of it first hand) I was nervous about them. Thats' why I loaded the 200 grain for my friends 300wby and some 160's for another friends 7 mag. My thinking is I'm increasing the performance margin by picking the heaviest accubond with the best sectional density and slowest starting speed because of picking heavy for caliber wt.

If you can....tell us what you think of potential performance at higher velocity hits and long range lower velocity hits.

I sure do like the accuracy....seems like they are always easy to get to shoot. I have lots of them sitting here....I just gotta get over my jitters a bit. (It's always a little more pressure picking a bullet for another friends hunt.....just in case something goes bad).

[Fiftydriver]

My testing has been with mainly the 30 cal accubonds shot out of a 300 RUM. Loaded to 3380 fps with the 180 and 3150 fps with the 200 gr Accubonds. As well as their same weight partition siblings.

My test was simply water filled milk jugs lined up in a wood box. I would line 8 jugs up, set up at 100 yards and fire a round into the jugs and repeat with all four bullets.

At 100 yards the 200 gr Accubond penetrated the fifth jug. By that I mean the back side of the fifth jug had been hit by the expanded bullet splitting it open but not punching into the 6th jug.

The 180 gr accubond made it though the 4th jug and split the forward surface of the 5th jug but did not penetrate into it.

The 200 gr Partition penetration was identical to the 180 gr accubond.

The 180 gr Partition stopped in the second jug. I thought this was a fluke so I tried it again and got the same results. The bullets had ruptured their partition and penetration stopped cold.

At 300 yards, the partition did a little better but for same weight bullets, the Accubonds still penetrated on average a full jug deeper then the partition.

Recovered bullet weights were also better for the Accubond at all ranges. Not by much but measurable. The partitions weakness is in its design which is ment to shed its entire front core on impact for masive energy transfer. This is fine for medium velocity rounds but when the bare partition can not withstand the remaining velocity and splits, the bullet stops nearly instantly.

The Accubond may expand slightly faster initially but the bonded core basically allows the bullet to simply turn inside out on close range impacts and consistant mushrooming at long range is much more consistant then any other bullet I have tested.

Personally, I feel the Accubond will make the Partition obsolete except for those die hard that simply will not believe that an Accubond could possible out perform the legendary partition.

Again, this is LRH, not close range hunting so my focus is for longer range impact velocity with big game weight bullets. This does not mean a 110 gr Accubond is suitable for a 1000 lb animal. For elk size game a 160 gr 7mm accubond is what I consider minimum. For deer anything from the 110 gr Accubond and up will work very well.

I used the 180 gr Ballistic Tip for years in the 300 RUM with great results and would never hesitate to hammer a big bull elk with that bullet through the ribs. Its just a matter of avoiding heavy bone. AN elk is a big critter so that is not all that hard to do.

As far as testing the partition, I have witnesses the partition rupture on the following calibers:

7mm Rem Mag
140 gr Part @ 3350 fps

7mm STW
140 gr Partition @ 3450 fps

7mm RUM
140 gr Partition @ 3500 fps
160 gr Partition @ 3200 fps

300 RUM
180 gr Partition @ 3375 fps

Now these were all closer range impacts. Under 200 yards but for the large, high intensity rounds, I do not recommend the partition. I do however recommend the accubonds when you match the proper bullet weight to the game hunted.

Kirby Allen(50)

[kraky]

One more question and I'll quit pestering you....

On the milk jug tests what kind of mushroom did the accubonds get? Was it tight to the shank or just kind of normal with say 1.5-2x diameter??

Thanks for you input....I will load them breathing easier. I also know one of the avid posters on the chatrooms has done alot of big game hunting with the ballistic tip 180 and says it is way more bullet today because of a better jacket than it was about 5 years ago. Bonding could only improve on that.

Thanks for your time and effort. Don Kraky

[jro45]

I agree with Fiftydriver about bullet killing the animal but not exiting. It has releised all it energy that way in the animal.

[JD338]

[ QUOTE ]
On the milk jug tests what kind of mushroom did the accubonds get? Was it tight to the shank or just kind of normal with say 1.5-2x diameter??

Thanks for you input....I will load them breathing easier. Don Kraky

[/ QUOTE ]

I have shot and recovered bullets from gallon milk jugs for years. Here are some recovered bullets to give you an idea of how they perform.

160 gr AB 280 AI 3000 fps MV 100 yd recovery
[image][/image]

225 gr AB 338 RUM 3050 fps
[image][/image]
[image][/image]

You also may want to do a search for AB performance at www.noslerreloading.com
There are many succes stories with AB's there.

Also, the 30 cal 180 gr BT has been beefed up and is more robust. I would still go with an AB if it were available.

JD338

[kraky]

Great pics!!! OK I'm feeling fine about the accubonds again.

[Fiftydriver]

JD338,

My recovered bullets looked extremely similiar you yours. The 100 yard test bullets were a bit shorter in retained bullet shank then yours for my 180 gr Accubond tests but the 200 gr looked very similiar to your 338 bullets. From there out look nearly identical.

Kirby Allen(50)